Quote:
Originally Posted by jimmontg
Goater do you know the technique of slightly yanking the hammer back when you smack the steel? (it's in the elbow and shoulder, as you swing down you pull back slightly before it hits, pulls the metal towards you) I learned it in a blacksmith's shop and switching to lighter hammers as I went along made it easier to keep it smooth. My mistake on my first forged knife was using the power trip hammer to far along. You can get pretty flat with some practice. Also with practice you can make the after grind dimples to leave a concentric pattern, looks cool.
Happy Hammering Goater.
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Yes, done it many times chasing gold or silver. Albeit on a much smaller scale. Big difference in a 2 or 3 oz goldsmithing hammer vs. typical blacksmithing hammer!
But also yes, even considering my recent intro into "smithing", I've done it a fair amount making little leaves and spoons in steel where the need to "pull or push" the hot steel with glancing blows enables precise shaping.
Just received a couple hammers from Blacksmith Depot. One a 2.5 pound rounding hammer and another smaller 600 gram German cross peen that I thought may be handy in the final finishing of a blade. Also have an old 1.5 pound ball peen that was my grandfather's. Had a 3 pound cross peen laying around. I found a 3 lb straight peen at the flea market I put a handle on and a 2.5 pound I guess what would be a machinist or boiler hammer. Another flea market find, a honkin 7 pound hand hammer head I put a new handle on I grabbed for $4. Seems I have a deficiency at the 2 pound mark, need more hammers!
